hj.paul7

Found almost everything I need now, about to build her up!

Pake rum runner 52cm, Pake track fork, sram 300 courier 170mm crankset 48t, Milwaukee track cog 18t, thomson elite 27.2 seatpost.

all I need is a saddle, lockring, pedals and handlebars. I'm getting there.

GMJ

Man. If this is your first bike, you really should've just bought a complete sized at your LBS. The advantage of getting fitted and buying complete is that you have a basic riding position to start out with, and from there you can tweak and make fine tune adjustments to make it the most comfortable/efficient positioning. Now, if you want to buy parts that will size you correctly, you're going to have to size yourself, using calculators or w/e, which sounds like a lot of guesswork to me. This leads to trial/error, which means an excess of parts and money spent.

Go to a LBS, get sized, ask for their advice, and try to order the parts from them, so you can be sure that everything is installed and adjusted properly. Or just order parts blindly on the internet. I'm sure this works for some people too.

hj.paul7

Well I got sized for the frame at the LBS. On my list of things I have to get, the only things I really could see that I would need to be sized for is the Fork, and Seatpost. Am I wrong?

UCF Eric

Assuming the Pake is the Rum Runner, most of the information you need for fork/seatpost can be found here. https://store.citygrounds.com/store/p...k-Frame-Black/

This lists a 1 1/8" headtube and a 27.2 Seatpost.

Spoonrobot 

Buy your bottom bracket and crankset together. When you do this you don't have to futz around with finding spindle length.

The frame you bought comes with a headset? And pedals?

Wheelset came with rim tape?

hj.paul7

I've been trying to heavily research each part I need, and for the seatpost I was thinking a Thomson Elite 27.2 x 330mm seatpost, with zero offset. If I understand offset right, it's just how much the seatpost is angled back.

This is the one in particular I was looking at https://www.ebay.com/itm/Thomson-Elit...a#ht_500wt_991


Yeah my LBS had a headset in the show area when I bought it, so he let me have it for $20. I have rim tape and pedals with clips. I'm assuming the crankset would come with a bottom bracket? Do I need to know any sort of sizes for the bottom bracket?

Humenbean

As someone who spent the past month trying to piece together a bike like this and just bought a complete, have fun.

Crankset does not mean bottom bracket included. All the ones I looked at were sold separately.

hj.paul7

If I find all the correct parts, then I don't see a problem doing it.

GMJ

There is no "problem".

Given what I know about bikes now, I would build from the ground up. Back when I bought in early last August, I didn't know anything and just kinda learned what I wanted/needed to replace.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your bike more since you pieced it together yourself, you are just likely to spend more than what you could've buying complete.

But if you planned on replacing every part anyways, maybe you are going the right route. But based on your questions, I feel like you're still going to buy more parts than you need because of trial and error.

hj.paul7

I'm sure I'm going to mess up and buy the one part for a couple of things, but that's why I'm here asking the questions, so that I buy the right parts. And learn about them.

Jaytron

Hey, just making sure, you're aware that building a bike is typically more expensive than buying complete? If you understand that, the by all means go for it.

If you link us the frame you bought (maybe edit the original post) then we'll be able to help you more.

hj.paul7

I'm realizing it costs a lot more, like $500 more. But I'm willing to do it, I'd feel more accomplished in building a full bike. Here's my frame, a 52cm https://www.pakebikes.com/product/C69...el+Track+Frame

Jaytron

38mm rake is something I don't see very often, so if you want the same rake as they say, get the fork from them. Other than that, I think the common rake is 41mm or so (it'll still fit, but the handling will be slightly different).

You have a 1 1/8" steerer tube, which is the "norm" and that ties in to your fork selection as well

Also says you need a 27.2mm seatpost. You are correct with the setback. Although, you may want to double check if you need lots/little setback. That really comes down to fitment. (fitment calculators are great for this)


As suggested earlier, buy your BB with your crankset, it'll just make things easier for you.

hj.paul7

This is where I get a little confused. What does rake mean exactly? If the handling would be different on a 41 compared to a 38, how so? I saw Pake has a track fork for the frame, but it's a straight bladed fork. With researching it looked like curved forks were a better idea if I'm going to ride around town (to and from work).

Same with setback, not really sure what it is? I was looking to get a straight seatpost, rather than one with setback or offset. Not sure what the difference between the two are, or what they even mean.

Jaytron

https://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ra-e.html#rake - Explains what Rake is, which affects Trail
https://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_tp-z.html#trail - Explains what trail is.
Setback is how much a post is well... set back from the center of the seat tube. How much you need will vary, according to your bike and fitment needs.

hj.paul7

The rake is the distance between the steering axis and the front wheel axle.
Then trail is the distance between the center of the wheel axle and steering axis at the surface (on the ground).

Right?

I understand what they are, but don't understand what I need, higher or lower rake. And what the benefits would be.

Jaytron

From the description:

Usually you just try and match what the manufacturer says. But if you didn't get that fork, then I'm sure 41mm rake will be fine.

IthaDan 

OP: go right ahead, you're not going to take no for an answer anyway, but don't get clever and try to improvise pressing in the headset cups, installing the bottom bracket or tightening your locking. Use your lbs for those. Out side the locking, the tools are somewhat specialized and essential.

I used to just use the LBS to press the cups in, but you might have luck having them install the whole for/headset/stem if you're not up for trimming steerers.

Santaria

Make sure to chase and face everything before you install headsets and your BB. Also, make sure that the crank has a Q factor that works with your bottom bracket and frame width along the chain stays.

Use a torque wrench when appropriate. Lockring pliers will make installing that properly a cinch. Good luck.

hj.paul7

I'll try to find a curved blade 38mm fork, if not I'll shoot for a 41mm.

I was going to go to my LBS to get the headset cups pressed in, since I don't have one of those tools. I'm pretty sure I can cut my own fork and then install the rest of the headset, but if not I'll have the LBS do it. I want to try at least.


Q factor?

nuhtowel

I'm all for people learning how to put together bikes, but one thing I suggest you DO NOT try is cutting the fork, I would have the LBS install the headset, and cut the fork for you. The rest of it is pretty much common sense.

Stealthammer

hj.paul7, congratulations. You took on a huge task for someone with so little experience but you will definitely learn a lot very quickly. I know guys who have ridden for year that would never consider building their own bikes from the frame up. Good luck with the build.

Bookmark the www.SheldonBrown.com main page and refer to it often. Be patient and research everything in detail before actually purchasing any parts. Most of the regulars on the SS/FG forum are pretty sharp and very willing to assist other riders, so come back often to ask questions.

Post some pictures as you are building it if you can, but definitely post the finished bike.

Ride Safe.



BTW: Pake's 38* fork for that frame makes the bike very responsive but still quite stable, but a 41* will slow down the steering a bit if you think it might be too twitchy. The difference in the ride quality between the straight vs. curved blade is almost negligible though because either one is built quite stiff to begin with. My Pake FG/SS is very much like what you are building and I love it.

broakland

Something tells me that you will spend more time building your bicycles than riding them. There is nothing wrong with that. People have different approaches to everything. When I started cycling: I wanted to bike, a lot. Bike p*rn, custom builds and finally that handmade frame came much later on.

uketastic

when they say buy the crankset and BB together it's to make sure that they both fit because if you buy them separately then you could end up with a BB that has too short of a spindle and you wouldn't be able to fit on your crankset since there simply wouldn't be enough clearance for it. If you get one and the spindle is too long you won't have a straight chainline. Take the frame with you to the LBS when you guy the cranks and BB so that way you can find the perfect match.

You can probably get a BB for about 20$ and a crankset for 80$+ but you'll probably want to spend more on the crankset since cheap ones don't last

dookie

speaking as a long-time mechanic at a reasonably nice shop, you absolutely should not undertake this alone (especially with a bunch of internet advice). you want a live person who has built a bike or two before, right there with their hands on it.

hopefully you know someone like this (and what they like), and can convince them to assist. otherwise, maybe talk to the LBS shop manager and explain what you want. i'd gladly have allowed you to observe/assist if you paid me for the extra time, maybe straight hourly? in any case, maybe your LBS will work with you.

it sounds like you're planning to start with some pretty nice parts for the first one. the single worst thing you can do for them is improper assembly...at best you wear something out prematurely, at worst a catastrophic failure that causes a crash. there are *far* too many little details to get it all right with minimal tools and zero experience.

(at the very least, let a pro prep the frame and install headset/fork/bottom bracket [and brakes!]...)